Ben and Rey hug in Jakku Desert
by spiritual-anybody
Summary: Rey returns to Jakku to visit her parent's grave. Kylo/Ben comes to meet her. They share a hug in the Jakku desert.


**This is my first fanfiction

***Inspired by Padme and Anakin standing over Shmi's grave in Attack of the Clones. Prequel parallel

Rey sat there, on her small wooden stool, mulling over the sacred Jedi texts. Her arms were tired from training and her head felt hazy, kept slumping over. It was very humid on the little jungle planet hiding the resistance base. She was so used to dry desert air, not sure if she would ever get used to the green in the galaxy.

She tried to read. Tried to understand. But her eye lids kept getting heavy, they wanted to close.

However, every time they did disturbing images flashed in her mind.

"Who are you? Rey from nowhere." Luke standing in the sacred Jedi tree on Ahch-to.

The look of confusion burned in the back of her head.

Her eyes flung open, only for them to close again.

"Rey, I saw who your parents are." Rey's heart skipped a beat. There he was.

"Say it!" Sparks of fire falling down around them, his gloved hand out to her in the throne room. He stepped towards her, "Say it." "Huh!" Rey jolted awake.

Rey shook her head, thinking of the memory. Kylo's hand reaching out to her, the sweat on his for head from the battle, the pleading desperate look in his eyes. The image so potent it was frozen in time. She hoped it would never leave her.

-Fully awake now, Rey looked down at the camp. She watched them. Finn, Poe, and Rose smiling laughing with the rest of the resistance. Rey let out a small smile. She wish she could laugh, joke with them, but she couldn't. She felt different, lonely, and isolated. Even surrounded by all these people. There was a little hollow hole drilled in her heart, a piece of herself was missing.

'_Will it always be this way?"_ she thought.

-"Do you want to know the truth about your parents? Or have you always known?' Kylo's low voice rang deep in her head. Even with her eyes open, she heard his voice.

…..Maybe she did always know? The thought crept up her spine, tickled the back of her neck.

Rey felt stressed and overwhelmed. She had so much pressure on her, from Luke, from the resistance…everyone else got to ask who she was, but this time she wanted to know.

It was then that a cauldron lit and bubble up to boil inside her. The force awoke and in her mind popped the answer she always wanted. Her gut instinct grew and grew and Rey lifted to her feet, as if a hand picked her up by the ear to propel her forward. _"I know what I must do."_

"Finn I have to go." Rey stood before Finn, Poe, and Rose in a circle at the base of the Falcon next to the resistant ships.

"What! You can't leave!?", "We've all just came together. Rey….dont do this." Finn shook his head, his smile gone.

"At least let us go with you." Poe said.

"No!" Rey's angry face…. "No." a bit softer, "This is something I need to do alone." Rey firmly stood her ground. "Finn, I don't know who I am, I need to go find out for myself."

Finn still looked persistent. Rey could feel his body wanting to spring into action.

"Finn please. Everyone thinks that they know me. That they have the answers. But… I need to know for myself." She whispered. Rey's eyes started to get teary. Finn could read the sorrow on her face.

He finally gave up and hugger her.

"Ok…ok…." They hugged, "Please, don't be gone long." He whispered in her ear. They let go and she turned to Poe.

Poe gave her a small smile and put his hand on her shoulder. "Go, if you need to. The resistance will always be here." Gave a quick node.

Finally, Rey turned to Rose, "Look after them for me."

The corners of Rose's lips turned up into a closed grin, "We got this. Go find yourself Rey and please come back. We need you."

With Rose's reassurance Rey grabbed her saber and the Jedi books. "Come on BB8. I'll need your navigation."

BB8 excitedly beeped and rolled behind her feet like a trustful pet. Lastly, Rey walked up to Chewie standing in front of the Falcon.

"I'll miss you Chewie, even if it's only for a short while."

"AGHHGHH!" Chewie lifted her up off the ground and gave her a big bear hug, his fur tickled her skin. "Ok, ok Chewie I'll be back!" Rey could barely let it out. The Wookie let her go, "aghghg" again but a bit softer. He tilted his head at her. Rey giggled "Yes, I know. Don't worry so much!" she waved him off.

After Rey said good bye to her friends she walked up the Falcon's boarding ramp.

"Alright BB8, let's go for a ride." and the pair boarded for take-off.

-As they flew across the galaxy BB8 kept beeping at Rey, trying to get the coordinates from her. But Rey wasn't completely sure. She wasn't going off of knowledge but an instinct. Something inside her was awake. Pulling her there.

The time alone in space gave Rey ample time to think. Again, she tried to read the books but her mind kept getting distracted….all she thought about was him. Those dark brown eyes, that dark hair, him stepping towards her in their shared force bonds. His face, the light of the star destroyer reflecting off of it seemed to take up all the room in her head. _"I'm supposed to be finding my parents?" _Rey thought_, "Why do I keep thinking of him?"… "Should I have taken his hand?" _the thought popped up_-_ _"No…No."_ she told herself… but she wasn't so sure, doubt prickled the back of her neck as the Falcon flew in hyper drive.

Eventually, they landed on Jakku. But Rey was in an area she had never known before. The force tugged her along, pulling below her rib cage, until they came to an empty valley in between two large rocky canyons. She didn't want to go forward at first, scared of what she might find. But the force kept pushing her along.

"_Nothing is here."_ Rey thought. But then she noticed them.

BB8 and Rey walked down a sandy hill to where they laid. A bunch of rectangular patches of uprooted earth. Visually one could tell the ground had not grown right. On top of the misplaced earth stood small wooden planks –not a single scratch or indent on them, just the edges worn down from years of erosion.

"Dead in a pauper's grave in the Jakku desert." Rey winced as Kylo's voice stung her ears. She never knew this place before… until now, and her heart sunk.

The force whispered to her, pulled her head to two unmarked graves. Virtually identical to all the others. But Rey knew, she knew those were her parents. She could feel it.

BB8 slowly rotated his head up to her, worried.

"How could I be so stupid BB8? The whole time….right under my nose.' The words caught in her throat.

Rey did not cry at first.

She wanted to be strong.

She needed to be strong.

For Luke. For Poe, Finn and for Rose. …For Ben…..

But she couldn't be strong anymore –

Standing over their graves, looking down at the little wooden planks, Rey lost it.

Rey collapsed to her knees tears rolling down her face –hands touching the sand as she bent over in grief. Her stomach lurched in her body, growing up to her throat, she felt like she was going to be sick.

BB8 tried to console her, worried little beeps, but Rey couldn't hear them over her sobs. "huhhh! Huhhhh!" Rey couldn't catch her breath as the tears kept flowing down her cheeks, dropping onto the grainy sand.

She could have knelt there forever. The faces of the resistance fighters fading away, becoming a distant memory. Maybe she too would rot and decay on this desert planet.

But then Rey heard something.… No. Felt something.…. Was it? Was it…him?

Kylo's force energy tugged at her, almost changing the chemistry in her body.

Rey stopped looking at the graves and turned her head towards the canyons. She saw it, his TIE silencer sat at the edge of a rocky ledge…. It was him!

Ben (or would it still be Kylo this time?) walked toward her, across the desert valley.

Rey stood up, enchanted by the sight, almost paralyzed to the ground.

The black ends of Kylo's robes lifting behind him in the wind.

His grand dark silhouette seemed to float above the ground.

His regal face looked calm, like he was on a mission as the distant between them decreased.

Rey's heart started pounding. She was simultaneously so happy to see him, but also so angry. Angry that he chose Kylo Ren over Ben solo.

Kylo finally got to her. He walked up calmly, tenderly, face determined.

"Stop!" Rey said. "Don't come any closer." Kylo immediately halted his movements, a few feet in front of her. His puppy dog lip quivering and his eyes looked pleadingly at her….he didn't want to stop, but obeyed her request.

_He looks beautiful._ Rey thought, the thought popped in her head before she could stop it.

Kylo's hair framed his face perfectly. The black strands blowing up by his brow bone, highlighting his wide deep set eyes and jaw line-just as Rey remembered. He looked magnificent in the yellow, pink, orange sunset of Jakku.

He was looking at her.

Neither of them moved. They just watched each other from across one another.

The light side in awe of the dark side, the dark side in awe of the light side.

Suddenly, Rey came to her senses and ignited her light saber. Kylo jumped at the sudden whoosh of sound. The only second he looked away from her face.

Rey's blue strobe crackled in the desert air.

Rey took a battle offensive position, both hands on the hilt of the saber, she twisted her upper body and moved her arm across her chest. Raising her saber to the level of her left temple.

The blue light seemed to almost pulsate in time with her rage.

Rey's eyes pierced into him, teeth gritted. Kylo could see the white cloth by her stomach going in and out from her quick breath.

Kylo took in her small angry face.

He had to admit, he loved that look (ever since the forest).

The top of Rey's nose wrinkled. Her eyes only focused on him. Kylo could hear his heart beating, adrenaline started flowing through his veins. He wished one day she would look at him happily… instead of angry.

She was such the petite little warrior. A strong fighter, Kylo always admired that about her.

Rey stood there fuming, waiting for him to make a move.

However, Kylo didn't take the bait.

Standing before her rage, he did something unexpected.

Kylo opened his arms up in a surrender position, cape whipping around him.

Rey eagle eyed his every move, like he was her pray.

Kylo's left hand moved across his body, to were his saber was stored (Rey held her breath) as he detached the hilt from his body, reached his hand out (like he had reached out to her before) and held it parallel to the ground.

Then… Kylo dropped it, fingers letting go. A look of shock flicked across Rey's face as she watched the saber roll across the grainy earth, away from their feet.

She looked at him again, Rey's huffing and puffing halted. Her stance lapsed as her mind raced in confusion.

Next Kylo went for his gloved hands. The end of his fingertips tore off the leather of the other hand.

One glove off, dropped to the sand. Two gloves off, dropped to the sand.

Rey's lightsaber lowered to her waist as she took in his movements. Her upper body no longer twisted but squarely faced him.

Kylo didn't look anywhere else but Rey. Not at his saber, not at his gloves…. just her.

No saber or gloves or mask could protect him now. Just him. Just Ben Solo helpless before her.

He reached his bare hand out to her, palm open.

"Rey… I just want you to kno-"

-"BEN!" Rey yelled happily before he could finish.

(Ben looked taken aback)_…..it…it Worked?! _He thought, letting out a sigh of relief, Rey wasn't about to chop his head off with a lightsaber.

Rey's emotion's leapt from anger to euphoria in a few seconds. A tear ran down her cheek…a happy tear this time. She couldn't handle it. The feeling burst inside her. Rey extinguished her lightsaber and tossed it over her shoulder.

Rey ran over to him, skipped Ben's hand and went straight in for a hug.

"mffm" Ben muffled, as her arms wrapped around his torso. He wasn't expecting that much physical contact so soon after his arrival.

Ben stumbled over a bit from Rey's body knocking into his own. Rey chuckled as the stoic space prince was moved of his feet.

Ben was still trying to play it cool.

Rey nestled her head into his chest, her nose forehead and cheeks nuzzling the soft fabric of his dark clothing. "Ben. You're back!" She beamed.

"I'd always come back for you Rey."

Rey couldn't see anything anymore. Not the desert or the Falcon around them, just the black fibers that cloaked Ben's chest.

After the initial shock was over Ben's body relaxed into hers. Rey could feel his tense shoulders settle down, felt his large arm rest a top her back. Cocooning her away from the dry desolate wasteland.

"The force brought me to you, Rey." He tried again.

But Rey didn't say anything, she just wanted to take this moment in. She breathed into him, "I'm so happy you are here."

"Me too." Ben rested his chin on top of her brown hair, gently moving his head back and forth to ease, sooth, and reassure her. Ben made sure not to put his full body weight onto her.

Ben did not see the desert anymore, all he saw was the loose strands of brunette hair forming into a bun. He smiled. Rey could sense how happy he was.

….But they could not achieve inner peace for long.

They could not stop the force visions from haunting them.

As they hugged,

Ben got flashbacks of young Rey, no more than seven. Her tiny little hair buns in misery. Her arm being held tight as the ship of her parents flew away into the blue sky. Ben eye's winced in pain.

Rey saw the moment on the bridge. Han Solo caressing Kylo's face in the red light. The image of Han's body falling to his death latched onto the back of Rey's eyes like claws.

"COME BAACKKKK!" Echoed in Ben's ears.

"I know what I have to do. But I don't know if I have the strength to do it." Chimed in Rey's.

They both shuddered and held onto one another tighter. Squeezing until the intense images vanished into the arid air.

Ben wanted to protect Rey from her past.

Rey wanted to protect Ben from his.

But there were just some things they could not do.

It felt like the moment went on for eternity, the two hugging in the Jakku desert.

Until Rey finally let go of his body to look up at Ben's face.

Her eyes looked so pleasant and quiet. Like the image Ben had of her in the elevator. The beautiful light of the desert sunset mimicking the bulbs of false light in the elevator shaft.

Ben brought his hand up to caress her face. His thumb rubbing her cheek "Rey. I want you to know, that night, after Snoke's throne room"

They stared into each other's eyes as he spoke

"…I told you who your parents are before you were ready. I'm sorr-"

"Shhhh" she cooed. Putting her fingers up to his lips to stop him. Ben could have melted in that moment. "It doesn't matter what you saw that night Ben.'

"The force showed me when I was ready, I know the truth now." His eyes moved from her eyes to her lips back to her eyes as she spoke. "You helped me, you told me what no one else could."

Ben's heart lifted in that moment. "And you found me." Rey smiled.

Ben smiled back. "I was lead to you Rey." he whispered, "I'm always lead to you…."

Rey didn't think he could have been any more beautiful in that moment but his smile seemed to illuminate the dimming light between the canyons.

They hugged again, held onto one another's hand as they turned towards the graves. The pair silent but beaming with harmonious energy. The sun hung low in the sky, almost gone behind the tall cliffs.

It should not have been a romantic scene. For anyone else, it would not have been. A private meeting in front of a grave site. But only they could understand each other's pain.

Ben in all black, Rey in all white, their bodies' casted two long grey shadows over the harsh desert landscape. At that moment Ben and Rey felt inner piece, their force energy merged into one. The memories of lost family love didn't haunt them in that moment.

The little hollow hole in Rey's heart seemed to fill as the orange yellow sunset moved towards dark blue star light. The pair illuminated by stars.


End file.
